Speed-controller for motor-vehicles.



J. GOPLON. SPEED CONTROLLER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1912.

7 17 Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-BHBET 1.

J. GOPLON.

SPEED CONTROLLER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1912.

Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed J'u1y11,'1912. Serial No. 708,828.

. Patented July 15, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn CoPLoN, a

a citizen of the United States of America,

clear, and exact description.

The general objects of my invention are to provide a device, whereby the speed of a motor vehicle may be checked when a predetermined rate of speed is about to be exceeded and also to provide means, where-.

by the owner or properly authorized person in. y readily adjust or set the predeter- 'an unauthorized person usi exceed the speed at which t e dev1ce speed so that it will'be impossible for the vehicle, to i s set.

Other ob ects of my invention are: to provide an automatic controlling device which is at all times independent of and isconnected {from the manual controlling means of the motor vehicle; to provide a device which shall be so constructed that redetermined s eed of a motor min vide a device which will not in any way interfere with the full supply of gas to the engine of the motor vehicle, except when the vehicle is about to exceed the predetermined speed limit; also to provide a device which shall indicate the number of times .it has been operated to check the speed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming partof this specification, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts, throughout the several views of which:

Figure 1 shows, in a diagrammatical mannler, my invention in place on a motor vehic e. portion of my device with the cover thereof removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2 and is taken on line 3-3 of that figure. Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectionalelevation of a portion of my device and is taken, on line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a fragmental front View of the brake mechanism of my device and is taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the part shown in Fig. 5 and is taken on line 6-6 of that figure. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a fragmental portion of my device and shows the counters in Fig. 2 represents a front view ofa 'otally secured'to the collar26,

.vided at the pivoted end with a lu and thus presents abrake surface.

' broken lines with the dials removed. Fig. 8

represents a sectional elevation of the throttle valve of my device. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the same and is taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a diagrammatical view of the electrical connections of my dev1ce. y

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 7,12 represents the casing of my device, which contains the working parts thereof, and which is provided with a suitable cover 13. 14 is a look by which the mechanism contained in the casing-may be protected against being tampered with by unauthorized persons. Rotatably carried in preferably the lower part of the casing 12 is a shaft 15, the outer end of which is supported by a bearing plate 16, rigidly carried by the casing. 17 1s the main spring of my device, one end of which is secured to the shaft 15 and the other end thereof is rigidly secured to the casing by any well known means, not shown.

Secured to or made integral with the shaft 15 and disposed in front of the spring 17 is a ratchet wheel 18. A disk 19 is rotatably mounted on the I shaft l5 and adjacent to the ratchet wheel 18. This disk carries a ratchet pawl 20 which engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18 and which is held in contact therewith by means of a suitable spring 21, also carried by the'said disk. The shaft 15 is provided with an outer square-shaped end- 22 and the cover 13 of the casing is rovided with an aperture 23,-whereby a ey may be used to re- 17. 24: is a brake cup which is preferably made integral with the casing 12 and within which is rotatably disposed the brake mechanism. A brake shaft 25 is rotatably carried by ,the casing 12 andthe bearing plate 16. This 'shaft extends. through the center of the brake cup 24 and is provided with a rigid collar 26, which is disposed in the center of the brake cup. On either side of the collar 26 are disposed brake members 27 27 one end .of each of which is pivby means of the pins 28. Each of the brake members 27 is preferably crescent-shaped and pro- 29 which rake cup Rigidly carried near the upper end of the brake shaft 25 is a gear pinion 30. This pinion engages with a gear 31 which is rotatably bears against the interior of the -volve' the shaft 15 and thus wind the spring 2 mounted on the shaft and rotatable with the disk 19. Rotatably carried by the hearing plate 16 is' a counting mechanism which comprises preferably two notched wheels- 32 and 33 which are normally held against rotation by means of the sprlng 34, carried by the bearing late. Carried by the gear 31 and prefer-a. ly disposed diametrically -opposite each other are trip pins .35, 35,

37, 37, each of which is provided with an integral disk 38 which is disposed preferably iii a recess formed in the top of the bearingplate 16. Disposed over the to of each ottheshafts 37 is a counter dia 39, each of which is provided with a pluiality of apertures 40, which are equal in number to the number of notches provided on the notched wheels 32 and 33. These counter dials are arranged to rotate with the shafts 37, 37, by having one of the apertures in each in engagement with a pin 42, carried by each of the disks 38. These counter dials may be moved longitudinally on the shafts-37,37', when the cover 13 of the eas- V rigidly carried at the outer en iiig is opened and they may thus be reset at will. The cover 13 of the casing is rovided with an aperture through w ich the number indicated by the counter dial may be seen (Fig. 10). 43 is a latch lever which is pivot-ally carried at one end by the bearing plate 16 and which has secured at its opposite end, the upper end of a spring 45. The lower end of the spring 45 is secured oted end than its free end is a lug 46 which engages with oneof the notches 47 provided in the periphery of the disk 19. The faces of the lug 46 are set at an angle with a radial 'line passing through the disk 19. The notches 47 are dis osed preferably diametrically opposite eac other and their faces are set at substantially the same an le as those of the lug 46, so tha, when t e latch lever is released, these angu arly disposed and engaging faces will permit the disks 19 to revolve under the tension of the main spring 17. 44 is a trip which is of the latch lever 43 and is provided with a flat upper surf ce. A trip lever-48 is pivotally carriedhy the bearing plate 16 and its lower pointed end is. engageable with the flattened surface of the trip pin 44. The trip lever 48 is provided with a right-angled arm 49 which carries a magnetarmature 50. 51 is to the casing 12.? Provided on the latch lever '43 and preferably nearer its piv an electro-magnet which is rigidly secured to the casing 12 and which is arranged with its magnet cores immediately above the armature 50. 52 are electric conductors which are connected to the terminals of the electro-magnet and which are passed through an insulating bushing 53 located preferably in the bottom of the casing 12.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, where I have shown the preferable form of throttle valve, 54 represents the casing of the valve and 55 the butterfly valve thereof. This butterfly valve is rotatably carried by a shaft 56 which preferably passesthrough a suitable stufling box 57. The body of the casing is rovided with suitable connecting means, w ereby it may be inserted in the intakelpip e of anyint'ernal combustion engme. v

In Figs. 1 and 10, I have shown the diagrammatical arrangement of my device as applied to a motor car. In these figures 58 represents a portion of an automobile chassis, 59 the dash board thereof and 60 the- I motor. 61 is a carbureter and 62 the intake man1fold.- 63 represents my device attached to the dashboard 59 and connecting the shaft 15 thereof-with the shaft 56 of the throttle valve is a shaft 64 and universal joints 65,

65. 66 represents a speedometer of the standard type which is provided with an electrical contact point 67 68 represents an electric battery and 69 the electric conductors, whereby the battery is connected with the speedometer and the electro-magnet- 51.

In thevdrawings, all the parts of my device, except the butterfly valve, are shown in their normal positions. When the motor vehicle on which-my device is attached, is about to exceed the set or predetermined speed, the indicator need1e'71 of the speedometer 66 will make electrical contact withthe point 67 on the dial of the speedometer.

This will allow current'from the battery 68 to flow through the electro magnet 51'and thus energize the same when the electromagnet is energized, the armature 50 carried 'by the arm 49 of the trip'lever 48 will be drawn up against the cores of the magnet,

which will disengage the lower point of the ,trip lever- 48 item the trip pin 44. When thepin 44 is thus disengaged, the latch lever 43 will be raised by. the rotation of the disk 19 which is actuated by the main sprin 17 As this disk rotates, it .carries the sha 15 therewith and rotates the butterfly valve 55, thus slowly closing and openin again the thrott-levalve. If the s eed o the-car is not reduced by the time t e throttleis again fully bpened, the disk will continue to rotate and again close and open the throttle. When the speed hasbeen reduced below the predetermined point, the electro-magnet 51 will be deenergifzed, which will allow the arm 49 to drop to the position shown in the shaft25, the said brake shaft will also be rotated. As the brake shaft rotates at a comparatively high speed, the free ends of the brake members 27, 27, will be thrown outwardly by centrifugalo force and cause the lugs 29 thereof to be pressed against the sides of the brake cup 24: and thus govern the speed of rotation of the disk. Each time the speed limit is exceeded and the disk 19 rotated half a revolution, one of the pins engages with one of the notches of the notched wheel 33 and this indicates the number of times the speed limit has been exceeded. Whenwthe disk is operating, it-

rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow 72 and when the main spring 17 is being wound, the shaft 15- and ratchet wheel 18 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 73.

While I have for convenience, shown and described a spring as the means for operating the shaft of my device,- it is obvious that other types'of motive power may be applied with equal efficiency. Obviously, ifdesired, the throttle valve of my device may be so constructed as to allow a small quantity of gas to pass when it is closed or this valve may be dispensed with entirely and the shaft 15 of my devicecmay be connected to the air mixing valve of the carbureter'. These and many other modifications of the details herein shown a ddescribed, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invent-ion or the scope of the appended claims, and I do not wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with the engine throttle of a self-propelled vehicle, a speedometer provi ded with an electrical contact and an electric battery; of. a speed controller comprising a casing, a main shaft rotatably carried by said casing, means for actuating said shaft, "a notched disk mounted upon said shaft and rotated thereby, electrically controlled mechanical means, engageable with said notched disk, means connectin said shaft with 'saidengine throttle-apd e ectric connections between said battery, speedometer and said electrically controlled mechanical means. i

2.. The combination with the engine throttle of a self-propelled-vehicle, a speedometer provided with an electr cal contact and an shaft and rotated thereby,

electric battery; of a speed controller com prising a casing, a. main shaft rotatably carried by said casing, means for actuating said shaft, a ratchet wheel rigidly carried by said shaft, a notched disk rotatably" mounted upon said shaft, adjacent to said ratchet wheel, a spring ressed ratchet pawl connectingsaid rate let wheel and disk, electrically controlled mechanicalmeans engageable with said notched disk, means connecting said shaft with said engine throttle and electric connections between said battery, speedometer and electrically con-.

trolled mechanical means. v

3. The combination with the engine throttle of a self-propelled vehicle, a speedometer provided with an electrical contact and an electric battery; of a speed controller comprising a casing, a main shaft rotatably carried by said casing, means for actuating said shaft, a notched disk mounted upon said connected with said shaft and controlling the speed of rotation thereof, electrically controlled mechanical means engageable with said notched disk, means connecting said shaft with said engine throttle and elec tric connections between said battery, speedometer and said electrically controlled mechanical means. I i

4:. The combination with the engine throttle of a self-propelled vehicle, a speedometer provided with an electricalv contact and an electric battery; of a "speed controller comprising a casing, abearing plate carried by said casing, a main shaft rotatably carried.

by said casing, means for actuating said shaft, a notched .disk mounted upon said shaft and rotated thereby, means carried bysaid bearing plate and connected to said shaft for indicating the number of revolutions which the said shaft makes, electri-- cally controlled mechanical means engageable with said notched disk, means connecting said shaft with said engine throttle and electric connections between said battery,

a speed governor speedometer and the said electrically con-' trolled mechanical means.

5. The combination with theengine throttle of a self propelled vehicle, ii. speedometer provided with an electrical contact-and an electric battery; of a speed controller comprising a casing, a bearing plate carrledby said casing, a main shaft rotatably earned by said casing, 'means for actuatlng sa d shaft, a notched disk mounted upon sald shaft and-rotated thereby, arelease arm.

pivoted at one end of said bearing plate and engageable with said notched disk, a trip pm at the opposite end of said release arm, a, trip lever having a right-angled. arm p1v-- trip Iever having its lower end engageable with said tri pin, an 'electro-magnet armature carried ivy said trip lever, an electro- 'otally carried by said bearing plate,vsaid..

' electric battery;

magnet for controllin said armature and electrical connections etween said battery, speedometer and elect-ro-magnet.

(3. The combination with the engine throt. do of a self propelled vehicle, a speedometer provided with an electrical contact and an of a speed controller com prising a casing, a bearing plate carried by said casing, a main shaft rotatably carried -by said casing, means for actuating said shaft, a notched disk mountedupon said shaft and rotated thereby, a s eed governor connected with said main sha comprisin a brake cup carried by said casing, a sha t rotatably dis osed in'said cup, a collar rig idly carried y said shaft, brake members disposed on either side of said collar and pivotally connected thereto, said brake members being adapted'to bear against the interior of said brake cup, means connecting said shaft with said main shaft, electrically controlled means engagcable with said notched'disk and electrical connections between saidbattery, speedometer and electrically controlled mechanical means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. k

JOSEPH OOPLON. Witnesses: J. WM. .ELLIS, WALTER H. K LLEY. 

